Parks & Play Areas

Warwick Spinney is a meadow with scattered trees and shrubs on the edge of Benson village. It’s popular with dog walkers and people who enjoy nature. Owned by Benson Community Association for the benefit of the community, it was bought to mark the Millennium and is managed for its wildlife interest and for people to explore. It represents a key connection/stepping stone between the remaining riverside meadows by the River Thames and the proposed new green nature space: the Benson Country Park on Hopefield Grange.

This is a large recreational space for football and other team games, as well as general relaxation, and offers a kicking wall at the far end and a netball hoop. There is a pavilion with changing rooms. At the weekend, our local football teams will be playing here and coaching sessions for children will be in full swing. Benson Tennis Club also has its courts on Sunnyside, complete with a clubhouse and outdoor seating. During the summer, fairs and small circuses sometimes “pitch camp”. Sunnyside is located alongside the Parish Hall.

An activity and play area for young children (2-12 years), including a very tall helter-skelter, swings, roundabouts, and much more, in a safely enclosed area. The play area is designed to be accessible for all children. The Play Park was newly installed in 2021, replacing the previous play park. The Park is named in memory of local girl, Faye Elizabeth Grundy. Alongside the park are a range of exercise bars for adults.

Located on China Piece, beside the new Community Hall, on the north side of the village, the skate park is ideal for skateboards and micro scooters. The park has a variety of different gradients which should satisfy the beginner and the more experienced alike.

Activity equipment for younger children, including an ant-climber. Located at the end of a cul de sac. This area is due to be reviewed for an upgrade.

Secreted away behind Littleworth Road, Bertie West Field is a natural play area, donated to the village for the benefit of its children more than thirty years ago. With a new ramp allowing for easier access, Bertie West Field is a wonderful area for letting children’s imaginations run wild.

There is a summer paddling pool and a picnic area with tables, as well as seating and an open space along the River Thames bank, with views down to Benson Lock. The Thames Path runs through Rivermead and there is a gate through to the Waterfront Café and Marina. Please resist the temptation to swim in the river, even on a hot day – the river can be more dangerous that it looks.

Millbrook Mead is a fantastic small area of marshy nature reserve, wildflower meadow and hazel coppice… a hidden gem in Benson! Be sure not to miss the wildflower meadow and hazel coppice on the other side of the nature reserve, where a picnic table has been added to the small clearing in the wildflower meadow and makes an ideal location to sit and enjoy the flowers, wildlife and a picnic. Dragonflies, butterflies and other insects can be spotted. If you have an interest in our native flora and fauna, it is well worth a visit. For wheelchair access, Millbrook Mead is best accessed from the Thames Path in Preston Crowmarsh. Alternatively it can be accessed from the St Helen’s Avenue allotments via the boardwalk which runs alongside the chalk stream brook.

Provides activity equipment for younger children, including a small roundabout and slide. There is also a zip wire and rope swing. The play area is located right next to the Mill Lane allotments.

Both of these are located on the Hopefield Grange Development.

There is a small children’s playground with equipment to suit a variety of ages, planting and benches.

The Benson Country Park is a new open space encompassing grassland, wetland, scrub planting and a wild flower meadow. This has been created for us by the Developers, Cala and it’s hoped this will provide natural habitat for birds, bats, bees, insects and more. It’ll take a while for the area to mature and develop fully but should provide a beautiful space for future generations of Bensonians.